An overview of violence in the United States focuses on firearm violence in the United States and Los Angeles gang violence. The author advocates a comprehensive public health approach for reducing and preventing violence. This approach is built on a three-tiered model of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention aims to reduce the incidence of new cases of violence or first-time violent behavior. Secondary prevention intervenes early in the sequence of violent acts to stem violent behavior. Tertiary prevention happens after a violent act has occurred to restore as much positive functioning as possible to the individual or community. According to a public health model, violent behavior is assumed to follow a pattern similar to the patterns of other public health epidemics. Its occurrence can be measured and monitored, and groups at risk can be identified. If these assumptions are correct, then the adverse outcomes associated with violent behavior can be predicted and prevented. The Los Angeles Violence Prevention Coalition has adopted three goals that comply with the public health model of violence prevention. The Coalition's goals are to reduce the availability and accessibility of firearms, to change community norms so that violence is not acceptable, and to create and promote alternatives to violence. This chapter describes how the Coalition is attempting to achieve these goals. 21 references